
Tag: Kikagaku Moyo

Spooky Psych Sounds: Levitation 2021
Words by: Scott Urian and Grace Dunn Photos by: Grace Dunn I had no idea what to expect on my way to Levitation 2021. It was my first Levitation experience. Damn – it was also the first time I had been on an airplane, travelled out of state, or seen a single show with a crowd of more than a hundred people in the past two years of surprises and confusion. My overall takeaway from this experience was more surprises, more confusion, and absolutely no doubt that I will be back next year. My navigator of all things bizarre in Austin was none other than Grace Suzette. Photographer of the psychotic, Levitation veteran, and devout member of all things loud. With her confidence and my wide eyes began a four day melee of music at various venues in the Red River District that would have killed me had I not been having so much fun. related content: Psych & Fury: Levitation 2019 Thursday Angelica Garcia at Stubb’s Angelica’s deserved a much denser crowd. Those who planned their night around Crumb can’t be blamed, but missed out on a showcase of pure talent that started the momentum of the whole weekend.

Photo Recap: Khruangbin at the Greek Theatre
Photos by: Manuel Arredondo Khruangbin has been a topic of contention at Jankysmooth. Most contributors love them, some just don’t get it. Some just don’t know how to dance. Regardless of critical opinion, the band’s ticket sales and cultural impact speak for themselves. They sold out three nights at the Greek Theatre and are more or less the psychedelic rock scene’s single top attraction at this time. They’re leading the charge in music of a movement that hasn’t even been fully defined yet. Classifying their sound makes most critics come up with plenty of nebulous terms when a colloquialism like jive will suffice. Joining the power trio on this night of their sell out spree at the Greek was Japanese psych heroes Kikagaku Moyo. Check out these incredible photos from the show: Khruanbin Kikagaku Moyo

Take This: Win Two Tickets to Kikagaku Moyo at the Observatory
Geometric Patterns are one of the best psychedelic bands of this generation, if you don’t recognize that name, perhaps you’ll know their Japanese name, Kikagaku Moyo. If you’ve ever wanted to hear music that will transport your mind and soul while your body stays put, look no further than this band’s Observatory show on 10/31. Halloween is for trippers. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE OR: ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO KIKAGAKU MOYO OCTOBER 31ST AT THE OBSERVATORY Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, or FACEBOOK Kikagaku Moyo Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON OCTOBER 20TH AT 11AM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

Virtually No Dust: Desert Daze 2018
It’s impossible to talk about Desert Daze 2018 without discussing the previous year at it’s former location in the high desert. My personal experience as a visitor to DD 17 is unmatched by any other festival I’ve ever attended. The lineup was insane, the installations were engaging, and the location truly felt like it held some kind of spectacular aura. I’ve never understood the appeal of the Joshua Tree getaways Angelenos fiend for and I’m absolutely disgusted by the false bohemian ideology perpetuated by burners (and Burning Man as a whole) but for a brief three days in the high desert it all clicked for me. related content: Desert Daze 2017 Headline Here: Some Variation’s Of Rock’s Not Dead The Institute of Mentalphysics was a challenging place for some because of the of its sporadic dust storms and painfully low temperatures at night, so it seemed like a great idea to find a location closer to the city that still maintained a sense of the desert – minus the harsh elements. Cue the announcement of DD 2018 staking its new home alongside the manmade reservoir Lake Perris: a location touted as an oasis with “virtually no dust” tucked quietly on

Earthless Liquified My Face At The Teragram
I had heard about Earthless forever ago but because of my natural skepticism, I didn’t really feel any need to see an instrumental band that wasn’t some kind of post rock outfit. Then after I heard Bill Burr raving about how incredible Earthless were live, I got about a guzzler’s gallon of fuel put in my engine to go see the band. Fast forward to last week when Dillon told me about the show, and I finally caved and decided to dive in, head-first. And boy was I ever glad to have caved and dived in. This was my first legitimate psych rock show, I know admitting that probably decimates any shred of credibility I had left but it’s true. I was always into the more extreme side of music and then also as a contrarian, seeing everyone in LA get so wrapped up in the whole Desert Daze scene probably made me want to avoid it. I’m not gonna be shopping for bellbottoms at vintage stores anytime soon, but maybe I’ll pop into more psych shows. I dressed in a “Canadian tuxedo” just to fit in at this show and I wasn’t the only one. All that said,

The Transcendental Jams of Kikagaku Moyo at Austin’s Scottish Rite Theater
A Masonic double-headed eagle emblem keeps a watchful eye on top of the glowing sign for Austin’s Historic Scottish Rite Theatre. Over the weekend, this former German opera house transformed into an enchanting lair to host rising experimental Japanese group Kikagaku Moyo. It’s not often that one gets to experience a touring act in a location outside of the typical bar scenario, and the spooky elegance of Austin’s oldest theatre (it was built in the late 1800s!) played a role in elevating the evening, thanks to event producers Perfect Life Presents. Austin acts Hidden Ritual and Soft Healer provided opening support at the theatre that evening. Hidden Ritual’s brand of post-punk exuded the eeriness of a western-noir film, complementing the ominous air in Scottish Rite. Local lighting crews Etherwave and ACID Light Show collaborated on a curious visual backdrop which intertwined black and white vintage 16mm film clips and vivid liquid lights. Overhead the theatre ceiling glowed softly in replicated patterns of celestial bodies in the night sky, prompting Soft Healer’s singer to remark “the sky looks great this evening”. Formed as a busking collective in Tokyo during 2012, Kikagaku Moyo have released 3 full length albums and are currently